Air valve for pipe organs



Reb. S, E93@ $1.5, FLAHERTY AIR VALVE FOR PIPE ORGANS Original FiledJuly 26, 1926 Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEFREDERICK J'. FLAI-IERTY, OF WOODSTOCK VALLEY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0JENNTE A. FLAHERTY, OF WILLIMANTIQ- CONNECTICUT AIR VALVE FOR PIPEORGANS Original application filed July 26, 1926, Serial No. 124,797.Divided and this application filed April 19 1927. Serial No. 184,930.

This application is a division of my appli cation Serial No. 124,797,filed July 26, 1926.

rlhe invention relates to air-valves especially adapted for use withindividual pipes of a pipe organ. An object of my invent-ion is tosimplify pipe-organ construction and repair by providing a separatevalve, a complete unit in itself, for each individual pipe. By myinvention, the ceiling of a wind chest may be bored at any point for anorgan pipe, the holes thus being capable of being spaced as desiredaccording to the size of the pipes. This prevents the crowding of thelarger pipes and undue spacing of the smaller pipes which is occasionedby the use of banks or series of equally spaced pipe valves.

My invention further relates to a valve having a structure which makesit particularly suitable for use with the larger pipes of an organ whichrequire comparatively large quantities of air to make them speak. It isan object of my invention to make possible a uniformly prompt responseon the part of pipes of all sizes when the corresponding keys aredepressed. The hiatus between the pressing of a key and the response ofthe larger bass pipes, which is often very noticeable in many organs,limits the tempo of the music which can be played on such an instru mentand is a source of constant annoyance to the musician. My constructionand arrangement of valves is such that pipes of all sizes respond withequal prompt-ness.

Further advantageous features and combinations will be apparent to oneskilled in the art from the following description of the apparatus asillustrated on the drawings, of which,-

Figure 1 is a plan view of one forni of air valve embodying myinvention, this form being particularly suitable for use with largepipes.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are sections on the lines 2 2, 3-3 and 4-4 of Figure1.

Figures 5 and 6 are sections of a simpler type of valve embodying myinvention, this type being suitable for use with smaller pipes.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary section of a wind chest, showing how thevalves illustrated in the other figures may be installed.

Referring to Figure 7, 2() represents a portion of the wind chest of astandard pipe organ which is filled with air at a suitable pressuregreater than atmospheric during the operati-on of the organ. The topmember or ceiling 22 of t-he wind chest is perforated, each perforation23 being adapted to receive the end of a speaking pipe 24, theperforations being each of a suitable size to supply the correct amountof air to the pipe which is fitted thereover. Each perforation 23 isnormally closed by an individual valve 25 which is connected foroperation by a fiexible tube 26 with a suitable valve mechanism,controlled by the appropriate stops and keys in any preferred manner, bywhich the pressure in the tube 26 is atmospheric or wind-chest pressureaccording to the actuation of the control means.

In Figures 5 and 6 are illustrated indi- 7 vidual valves of a simple buteflicient type, which are especially suited for use with medium or smallsized pipes. They are capable of ,giving excellent service also with thelarger sizes of pipes, but for such pipes the valve illustrated inFigures l to 4 is to be preferred as hereinafter set forth.

The valve 25 (Figures 5 and 6) comprises a box 47 over the top of whichis pasted or otherwise secured a. thin flexible membrane or diaphragm48. The box 47 is preferably formed of a wooden block having a circularhole bored therein. Concentrically disposed with respect to the circularhole is a light disk 49 which may be of felt or equivalent materialpreferably stiened with a backing of cardboard or the like, and which issecured to the membrane 4S and against which may press a. light spring50, the other end of which rests on the floor of the box 47. The box 47is secured to the under side of the top or ceiling 22 of the wind chestas by pins or screws 5l which pass upwardly through the side walls ofthe box and through small spacing blocks 52 which hold the upper surfaceof the box 47 spaced from the ceiling 22 to permit free access of thewind in the chest to the upper surface of the membrane 4S. Each box 47is so disposed that the central portion of the membrane 48 which isbacked by the disk 49 will be pressed against the opening 23 whichcommunicates with the organ pipe 24. A small hole is bored in the bottomof each box 47 which communicates with one of the tubes 26. 'Ihepressure within the box 47 is normally Vequal to the pressure in thewind chest, so that the spring 50 holds the disk 49 and the centralVportion of the membrane 4S against the opening 23 and thus prevents thepipe 24 from speaking. IVhen, however, the pressure in the box 47 isreduced to atmospheric through the tube 26, the wind pressure in thechest acting on the upper surface of the membrane 48 depresses the disk49 against the light pressure of the spring and rushes upwardly throughthe perforation 23 into the pipe 24. The pipe thus speaks `until windpressure is introduced through the tube 26 into the box 47. rIhisbalances from below the chest pressure on the upper surface ofthemembrane V48 and allows the spring 5() to close the passage 23. Insteadof using a spring 50 to aid the pressure within the box in makin@- theforces against the inner` face of the membrane 48 greater than those onthe outer face, and thus to hold the membrane over'the opening 23 whenchest pressure is in the box 47 I may bring about the difference offorces by other means, as, for example, by introducing into the box 47wind pressure greater than chest pressure, in which case the spring 50couldibe dispensed'with. rIhe locationofthe stifening disk 49 below themembrane 48 enables the latter toA present a smooth surface tothe aircurrents `'rushing into the passage 23. Eddy currents at the loweropening of the passage 23 are thus avoided, and the pipe speaks morepromptly and evenly as Ya result. Figure k5 shows an individual valveequivalent to that shov -i in Figure 6, but constructed chiefly of sheetmetal. As shown, a circular box 53 may be stamped from a sheet and themembrane 48 secured to the top thereof as by a clamping ring 54.Suitable brackets 55 may be eme ployed to support the box in suitablespaced relation from the ceiling 22. A nipple 56 may be secured in thebottom of the box 53 to facilitate the connection thereof with the tube26. The use of the liexible tubes 26 and the individual pipe valves 25permits great freedom in the location of the individual organ pipes andalso facilitates the repair or replacement of defective valves 2,5.

The larger bass pipes of an organ such as the 16-foot and 32-foot pipesrequire a rela- Y tively large volume of air tospeak properly.

lIvhis necessitates a valve of such size that an appreciable intervalof'time would be required to allow the box 47 to exhaust through theusual size of the tube 26, which is commonly employed. In order toprevent .such possibility of slight delaysin the speaking of the largerpipes, I provide a relay valve 68 which is illustrated in detail inFigures l to 4. A box 69 similar to the box 47, but larger in size, maycontain a spring 50 supporting a disk 49 secured to the underface of amembrane 48 which extends over the top of the box 69, the portion of themembrane 48 which is backed by the disk 49 being positioned to registerwith the passage 23 which leads to the pipe. A relatively large passage7 O connects the inside of the box 69 with a vertical passage 7l inwhich is fitted a compound valve 72, 73. This valve when in its lowerposition connects the inside of the box 69 with the wind chest throughthe passage 7l. l/Vhen the valve is raised, the interior of the box 69is connected through the passage 7l with a chamber 74 which communicatesto the openair by suitable passages 7 5, 76 of relatively large crosssection.v YThus vwhen the valve 72, 73 is raised, the pressure in thebox 69 is quickly dropped to atmospheric through a system of relativelylarge passages. The action of the valve 72, 7 3 is vcontrolledby a thinflexible diaphragm or membrane 7 7 which extends between chamber 74 andupper chamber 78. The latter is connected'as by suitable passages 79 and80 toa tube 26, which is of standard size. .IV hen the pipe is silent,wind chest pressure is in the tube 26 and therefore in the chamber 78.This pres sure acts upon the compound valve 72, 73 to hold it in itslower position so that the chest pressure is communicated'frcm below tothe passage 71 into the interior ofj'the box 69, thereby cooperatingwith thel spring 591:0 hold the disk 49 over the end of the passage 23.`'When a key is depressed, which results in a reduction of'pressure inthe tube 26 to atmospheric, the pressure inthe chamber 78 is at oncereduced, permitting the chest pressure to act on the disk 7 3to elevatethe valve 72, 73. This at once cuts olf the interiorof the box 69 fromthe wind chest Vand opens a large exhaust passage for the quickreduction of the pressurein the box 69 to atmospheric. The pipetherefore speaks as promptly as those having small valves.

This valve structure which enables the proper operation of the largepipes through tubes 26 of standard size permits unlimited freedom in theplacing of the pipes over the ceiling of the wind chest in anyrelative'positions desired. This prevents the' crowding together of thelarger pipes and the undesirably wide spacing of the smaller pipes whichis necessitated by most of the present methods of organ construction.

Having thus 'described an embodiment'of my invention, it should beevident to those skilled in the art that many changesand modificationsmay be made therein without departing from its spirit or scope asdefined by the appended claims,

1. As a separate article'of manufacture,

an individual organ'pipe valve comprising a box having an air ductthrough a wall thereof, a flexible diaphragm extending across the top ofsaid box, and a stiffening member secured to the central portion of saiddiaphragm and on the inner surface thereof.

2. As a separate article of manufacture, an individual organ pipe valvecomprising a box having an air duct through a wall thereof, a flexiblesubstantially air-tight diaphragm extending across the top of said box.a stiifening member secured to the central portion of said diaphragm andon the inner surface thereof, and a compression spring disposed betweenthe bottom of the box and said stiffening member.

3. As a separate article of manufacture, an individual organ pipe valvecomprising a box having an air duct through a wall thereof, a flexiblesubstantially air-tight diaphragm extending across the top of said box,a supply an'd exhaust valve connected to said duct, and pneumaticallyactuable means for operating said supply and exhaust valve.

4. As a separate article of manufacture, an individual organ pipe valvecomprising a box having a chamber therein and a branching duct leadingfrom said chamber to supply and exhaust ports, a flexible diaphragmclosing the top of said chamber, a subsidiary valve in said 'ductactuable to connect said chamber selectively with said supply or exhaustport, and pneumatically operable means for controlling said subsidiaryvalve.

5. An individual organ pipe valve comprising a box having an air ductthrough a wall thereof, a flexible substantially air-tight diaphragmextending across the top of said box, a stiifening member secured to thecentral portion of said diaphragm and on the inner surface thereof, acompression spring disposed between the bottom of the box and saidstiening member, a supply and exhaust valve connected to said duct, andpneumatically actuable means for operating said valve.

6. An individual organ pipe valve comprising a box having two closedchamber; therein and a two-way passage connecting one chamber with theother and with the outside of the box, the first said chamber having aflexible substantially air-tight diaphragm on the top thereof, astiffening member secured to the central portion of said diaphragm and0n the inner surface thereof, a spring disposed between said stieningmember and the bottom of said first chamber, a flexible diaphragmpassing across the middle of said second chamber, and valve meansattached thereto for closing off either branch of said two-way passage,said box also having passages from the outside there of entering thesecond said chamber above and below the diaphragm therein.

7. As a separate article of manufacture, an individual organ pipe valvecomprising a box having a chamber therein, inlet and exhaust ports, anda relatively large short air passage connecting said chamber with saidports, a subsidiary valve in said passage actuable to connect saidchamber selectively with said supply or exhaust port, and pneumaticallyoperable means having a relatively small air connection for controllingsaid subsidiary valve.

8. In a pipe organ wind chest having a hole in the ceiling thereof toreceive an organ pipe, a separate individual valve comprising a box withrigid sides and bottom, a flexible diaphragm constituting the top of thebox, and means supporting the valve solely from the ceiling of the chestwith the box spaced from the ceiling and the central portion of thediaphragm normally covering said hole in the ceiling, and an air pipecommunicating with said box to control the action of the valve.

9. In a pipe organ wind chest having two holes through the ceilingthereof, one of said holes being adapted to receive an organ pipe andthe other being an exhaust vent, an individual organ pipe valve securedto said ceiling beneath said holes, said valve comprising abox having alchamber therein, a flexible diaphragm over said chamber, the centralportion of the diaphragm being arranged normally to cover the pipereceiving hole in said chest ceiling, said box having also a portopening into the wind chest, another port registering with said exhaustvent, and a relatively large short passage connecting said chamber withsaid ports, a subsidiary valve operable to connect said passageselectively with said chest port or exhaust port, pneumatically operablemeans for controlling said subsidiary valve, and a relatively small airconnection for actuating said control means.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

FREDERICK J. FLAHERTY.

